Trends & Signals
Emerging Technology
Explore the latest insights, thought leadership, and research from FCAT®
A New Era of Associate Engagement: Building a Fortnite Experience
March 19, 2024
At first glance, it might not seem like Fortnite would have a place within Fidelity. After all, the act of saving for retirement is not embedded within the wildly successful video game that in some months has attracted more than 100 million users.
Eight Trends and Technologies Influencing Our Future
March 1, 2023
2022 was marked by increasing domestic and global tensions. This, alongside rising inflation, led to an unprecedented anxiety about our future.
A Glimpse into the Next Generation of XR Talent
February 27, 2023
How FCAT participates in XR community engagements that empower the next generation of innovation
Lydia Chilton on AI Creativity: What’s the Big Idea?
March 10, 2022
Can the design process be enhanced or improved by the power of AI? After a recent Artificial Intelligence Club event, Columbia University’s Lydia Chilton sat down with FCAT’s Sarah Hoffman to discuss the potential of AI as a creative tool. Chilton is an Assistant Professor in the Computer Science Department and is an early pioneer in deconstructing complex problems so that crowds and computers can solve them together. Her current research is focused on computation and how AI can help people with design, innovation, and creative problem solving.
Will VR Lead the Way to Better Business Relationships?
October 5, 2021
FCAT teams have been experimenting with Virtual Reality since 2014. Prompted by Zoom fatigue after 1.5 years of working remotely, several teams within Fidelity are exploring VR as a better way to work together. Some use the VR loaner program provided by FCAT, while others buy their own headsets and develop customized applications. Fidelity’s Meetings & Events Team has been actively using VR since last year. We met recently with Kristen Parr, Director - Meeting & Events, and Mike Speckmann, Team Leader - High Touch Services, to learn more.
FCAT and IonQ Explore Machine Learning With Quantum Computing
September 15, 2021
This PoC showcases how quantum computing can be used to generate high-quality synthetic data, and thus help in backtesting financial models.
Solving Problems Differently with Quantum Computing
March 31, 2021
There has been a lot of news about how quantum computers will change computing as we know it. That said, a general-purpose quantum computer that will have the capability of replacing the classical computers we use every day may perpetually be out of reach. At Fidelity, we do not need to wait for a general-purpose quantum computer. There are a few specific types of problems that quantum computers will likely be able to tackle in the near term and optimization problems just so happen to be one of those types of problems. FCAT is positioning Fidelity to be able to leverage this new technology the moment it becomes viable by exploring the optimization algorithms and implementations that have the most potential to deliver value to Fidelity and our customers.
Take A Quantum Leap With Us!
March 31, 2021
Ever wanted to look under the hood of a quantum computer? Or see how quantum computing might dramatically improve investment simulations? The Emerging Tech team has just published two new explorations of quantum computing, with insights into how it works and how it may impact financial services.
"What’s A Qubit” Quantum VR
March 31, 2021
“What’s a Qubit?” is a virtual reality experience designed to teach fundamental building blocks of quantum computing through a virtual reality immersive experience. The experience allows you to fly through a quantum computer at the size of a single molecule and witness the truly strange world of quantum mechanics up close. Before reviewing the project, experience "What's A Qubit?" here. Quantum computing is fundamentally different from the classical computers we are used to using today. How quantum computers represent and process information is completely different than their classical counterparts so the types of problems that can be solved with a quantum computer are also different. This application is a step towards starting to understand some of these fundamental differences so that we can start to identify problems for these new machines. Virtual reality is an effective way to create a learning experience. Unlike videos and articles, we believe that a multisensory experience that includes visuals, audio, haptics, and control, will create a lasting memory by teaching in a way that no other medium can achieve.
The Future of Finance Might Be Autonomous
December 3, 2020
Until recently, the cognitive load of almost all financial decisions has remained with individual users. But now, the ability to source and collect reams of data, combined with rapid progress in artificial intelligence, lays the groundwork for autonomous finance – freeing individuals from routine decisions, so they can focus on living the life they want.